For Trial
by mari.92.11.3
Summary: Aravis is sold. Again.


_I did not like many people in Calormene, _Aravis realized as she watched the court from her balcony. She hadn't really liked them at all—they bustled too much, and rambled too much, and were, in all aspects of the word, quite boring.

So, what she was doing here exactly was not a question she could really answer.

_That's right. I'm being sold again. _

Did being sold into freedom really count as being sold at all? It shamed her, slightly, that, though she was penniless and had more or less nothing to offer, King Lune and both his sons were more than willing to negotiate a bargain price with the Calormene nobility—her father—about her right to live in Archenland. She had protested, at first—how could she let them payfor her existence in _their_ country?—but they'd objected vehemently. Lune had shaken his head and explained that she had basic rights, and the right to live in whichever country she liked was one of them. Corin had rolled his eyes and mumbled about unappreciative women, and Cor…

He'd held her face in his palms, with a raised eyebrow. She'd flushed bright red, slapped his hands away, and demanded to know what he was thinking.

"I think you're ridiculous."

"_I'm _ridiculous?"

"Yes."

She turned away with her arms crossed and began to march off, but he caught her shoulders and turned her back.

"Because, as my father explained, you have your basic rights…"

"Cor, I've been living in this country for nearly five years. Why does he notice now? Why does my father demand payment at this very moment, when he could have had my price when I first came? He's _not _an honest man—"

"You're worried that he may take you back? I think we'll be better protect—"

"No! You don't understand. He's looking to gain much more money than you think, to pay off the debt of my refusal to marry—"

"Aravis—"

"He's going to take every little penny he can get his filthy hands on—"

"_Aravis."_ He put his hand over her mouth before she could rant anymore. "Do you want to go back?"

Her eyes were wide, and he pulled his hand away. "Do you?" she asked slowly.

"I didn't have much. But you did—you had friends, family—"

"No; I had lies, Cor. That was it."

"But you still want them back?"

"Of course not. I simply… I simply don't want _you _to inherit them."

He smiled—he had dimples, she noticed giddily—and touched her cheek. "We will not. And if we have to spend a bit of money to keep you, I will—" he stopped abruptly and pulled his hands away as if her face had burned him.

"You will…?" she asked, her eyebrows raised.

"Never mind. Don't trouble yourself, all right?"

She didn't answer, and he didn't make her. She had tried not to think about the disappointment that came when he walked out the door.

X

Now, she leaned on her balcony railing, having abandoned her book for people observation. Two men were kneeling by a woman who was so heavily garbed in jewels and silks that Aravis had not realized she was a person to start with. Behind them, women played card games, and men sparred a little farther off.

"Finding entertainment?" Cor said from behind her. She jumped a little, then calmed when she saw that it was he. He was suddenly incredibly conscious of the flowers in his hand—pretty desert blossoms that he had found in the market that reminded him of her—and the fact that his fingers were scratched and his palms slightly bloodied and blistered.

"I am, actually." She said, smiling a little. Then, she caught sight of his hands, and frowned. "What have you done?"

"I fell." He explained. She looked at him skeptically. "Really. These are for you." He handed her the flowers gently, and her frown disappeared as she took them from him.

"That's very good of you." She murmured, as he sat down. She bent over to give him a kiss on the cheek, and it left a warm spot on his face. "Oh, don't blush. It is unbecoming in a man." She scolded, fingering her flowers.

"I wasn't blushing." He said quickly.

"Liar."

"You're bright red yourself, you know—"

"Only because it is uncustomary for a foreign man to offer a woman flowers in her native country!"

He rolled his eyes. "You're embarrassed," he told her, "because the last time someone offered you flowers, he was twice your father's age and he wanted to bed you."

He'd hit a nerve. She stood, prepared to throw the flowers to the ground, but he stood quickly and stopped her.

"I'm sorry, no, I didn't mean. Please calm down?"

"That was crude." She said coldly, sitting back down again.

"I know. I really am sorry."

They sat in silence, and she stared out. Her black hair, which had been neatly combed back, rippled slightly in the warm breeze. He sighed a little. Their arguments were endless—and though he sometimes liked the banter, more often than not they'd ended up hurting each other badly. And yet, he knew he loved her, and she returned the affection—one morning, they'd gone on a walk, and she'd mentioned she'd never been kissed before. He'd told her he'd be more than happy to show her, and she'd slapped him—but then, when they were out of earshot from their accompanying party, she'd pulled him off the garden path, and asked him to kiss her.

They'd tried it a few times after that. Just for the trial.

And then once, quite by accident, they'd met in the forest near midnight. She was just walking, with her hair completely let out, and she'd hastily put on a dress and shawl. She looked troubled, but he wasn't exactly better off—his hair was a mess, and he'd barely remembered to put some trousers on under his nightshirt. He'd gotten up because he couldn't sleep, and he was bored, and so had gotten up to walk.

"Cor." She murmured awkwardly.

"Hello," he answered slowly, walking towards her. He stopped when they were about a foot away. "Are you all right?"

"I'm… no, actually."

"Oh?" he breathed. Then, suddenly she swayed forward, he caught her, and he realized there were tear tracks on her cheeks. "What's happened?" he demanded.

She shook her head, unable to say anything. He put her head in his shoulder, and wept silently. He didn't pester her then, but when she looked up and smiled weakly, he dared to ask.

"Aravis, you have to tell me." He whispered.

"I'm tired, that's all." She said softly, laughing a little.

He didn't believe her, but he let it pass. "It's a beautiful night. Will you walk with me?"

"I will."

And so they strolled for a while, before she stopped him and tiptoed to his ear.

He blushed a little when she pulled away, but it was nothing compared to her bright red cheeks. Even in the dark, he saw them.

"He said that?"

"Yes."

"Is that what's been bothering you?"

"A little."

"I should kill him." Cor looked up to the sky, to avoid her face.

"No, he was right to infer it."

"He certainly wasn't—"

"I haven't though."

"I know you haven't!" he moved his head to look at her once more. "Corin does these sort of things. He should be hit over the head for it a few times, at least."

"But…" she trailed off and turned her head away.

"But what?"

"I… like them."

"You do?" he blushed, as red as she was.

She nodded.

"Oh… then, I guess…"

"Will you?"

"I… yes. Why not?" he bent his face down and kissed her. They'd done it before, but never with more than the intention of playing. This one was sweet and dainty, and yet at once incredibly passionate.

She pulled away and smiled. "Well."

"I don't know what to say." He whispered slowly.

She shook her head, her smile disappeared, and she walked on.

"Ah… wait!"

She stopped, turned around.

"I don't know _how _to say it, really… that was rather amazing, actually."

X

One of the men sparring had knocked the other one over in the mud, and they were now yelling at each other about the rules of the game.

"Your father doesn't want a price for you." Cor said suddenly.

"He doesn't?" she turned around quickly, eyes wide.

"He wants a trade. He wants someone of your rank in his palace instead of you."

She bit her lip. "That's it then. I'm going back, aren't I? No one should have to trade with me."

"No, Aravis, you're _not _going back—"

"What then? You can't allow anyone to come in my place! It isn't fair!"

"No, we're not doing that. My father is offering an alliance, instead. A marriage."

She could not longer look at him. There were tears in her eyes, and she didn't want to reveal any sort of weakness at the moment. But the fact that King Lune had not only offered one of his sons' happiness in her place, but that that son had accepted—

And what if it was Cor? She knew, deep down inside, that she would be heartbroken if he were married to another woman. She would refuse whether or not it was him, but—

"He wants one of us—me or Corin, that is—to marry you." He said slowly.

The tears stopped. She wouldn't dare look at him now.

"And…which… I… No, you shouldn't accept."

"Why not?"

"If neither of you will be happy with me for a wife, then you should simply send me back. It's not fair—"

"But Aravis—"

"That you have to put up with his terms for my sake, when I should have gone back and done my duty long ago—"

"Neither of us mind, Aravis—"

"Well, you should! You should marry a woman you _love, _not feel a vague friendship towards, or—"

"Is that all you think I feel towards you?" he said quietly. His tone made her stop rambling.

She couldn't answer.

"It certainly isn't, if you were ever in doubt—" he took a breath, and she absolutely refused to look at him now. "Aravis, I've never loved a woman—not really. A few kisses would normally have meant nothing. But you—" He smiled a little—though she couldn't see it, she heard it in his voice. " –you've completely changed my idea of love."

"Just because I've changed it, does not mean—"

"But it does. You've changed it, and by changing it you've made me realize how much I _do _love you—"

"You're only saying that to convince yourself. I will notlet you enter a marriage you wouldn't be happy in."

"But I _would _be happy!" he burst. She was shut up quickly. "I would be immenselyhappy, Aravis. Why don't you understand? Perhaps you don't return my affection—but that would be a completely different—"

"Oh no…" she whispered, scooting her chair closer to his, and putting her hand on his cheek, "No, Cor, it was never a question of my not loving you."

"Then…" he leaned forward gave her a light kiss on the lips, as though to seal their bargain. "Then you stay in Archenland."

And she was sure, that though she had not liked many people in Calormene, she had never hated Shasta, and she'd fallen in love with Cor.


End file.
